Dark Emperor the Immortal
by Laputian-Blackwriter
Summary: After a reign of two hundred years that is about to come to an end, Dark Lord Harry Potter sends himself back in time to rebuild his World Empire from the ashes.
1. Chapter 1

**Two hundred years ago**

The announcement came at noon. A grand stage had been set up in front of the Ministry of Magic, and hundreds of witches and wizards had gathered, chatting in amongst themselves, wondering what all the fuss was about. Sure, there were rumours, but nothing could have prepared them for what was about to occur.

Soon enough, people walked out onto the stage – most of them had become quite well-known, somewhat celebrities across the continent, even across the globe.

A huge round of applause was elicited for the Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour. The war had taken its toll on him, as had age. The proud, stern man was still that, but much more quiet and hushed, with wrinkled skin and gray hair, hobbling up, accompanied by his Aurors, he was still revered and respected for his quick-thinking and command during the war.

Following him were several others, such as Amelia Bones, earning even more thunderous applause. The woman had been granted more power in the Ministry to allow better management of the war efforts, and this showed – costs of defensive measures for personal homes and property were at an all time low, the standard of Auror recruitment was higher, yet despite this, the amount of applications were phenomenal, thanks in part to the increased funding offered to schools.

But there was still greater yet to come – striding powerfully onto the stage, the greatest applause was reserved for none other than Harry Potter.

He was strongly built, looking tall and incredibly athletic, a wizard and man at his prime. Dressed sleekly and sharply in a tailored black robe with silver embroidery, his signature, personal sword, legendary for bringing fear into the hearts of Death Eaters, was buckled in a sheath at his side, as always. His hair was long and wavy, losing the unkemptness that plagued it during his teenage years, coming down to his shoulders. The unique, emerald green eyes were more brilliant than ever, sparkling not with mischievousness as Dumbledore's once had, but with power.

He was Harry Potter – the chosen one, hero of the light, and one of the most powerful wizards in the world (and winner of Witch Weekly's awards for most eligible bachelor and most charming smile several years in a row).

But what the public did not know was that he was also Harry Potter – businessman, politician, master strategist, and… Dark Lord.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Rufus Scrimgeour began, in his strained voice, weary and fatigued from being Minister in time of war against such a foe. "I have come here today to make just one simple announcement: That Voldemort IS DEAD!"

There was a great response from the crowd – the shouts of joy were deafening, as well as the flashes from cameras to mark this incredible occasion. They all knew it was long-time coming – with Harry Potter, the hero of the wizarding world, they had been able to gradually push Voldemort's forces back. The fear of the name was even gone, thanks to him. And now, they had finally won!

What they did not know, of course, as did few others, including the Minister and many politicians, was that Voldemort had been dead for quite some while. Harry was able to capitalize on the war, selling merchandise and goods under a network of false companies and agents that had compiled a rather vast fortune. He was the only one that had eventually profited from the war. Of course, Voldemort needed to be alive and out killing, torturing and maiming, and he was – not the real one of course, and his true followers were all long dead. Harry did not enjoy it, but it needed to be done. The time spent in war helped to divert attention away from his schemes and gathering of his own, secret army.

Rufus Scrimgeour waited until the cheers had died down before continuing. "As you all might have guessed, it was our savior, Harry Potter, who was the one to end this threat…" there was another great roar, and this time, the feminine screams were more than distinctive. It was a trifle amusing for Harry to go out and get mobbed by a bunch of screaming witches, despite the fact he was married. "And thanks to him, this war is over. As you all know, I am long-due for retirement, and thus surrender my position as Minister of Magic, and all the powers that come with it." There was another round of applause as he made his way down. It would have been hard for poor Rufus – he was taking the brunt of the public spotlight, and really didn't have any true power. Harry was the one in charge all along. Of course, no one knew.

Harry then made his way up to the lectern, waiting patiently for the cheers to die out before beginning. "Thank you Minister for those kind words – you paint me in such a positive light I'm afraid I'm not sure I can live up to the image in these good people's minds." There was laughter at that – Harry Potter' trademark humility and humbleness were still in place after all this time. "But now, we must get to business. Although Voldemort is dead, meaning the war is over, there are still many things to do. I'm sure most of us agree that the war effort at first was quite shabby, especially under Rufus' predecessor Fudge. To be blunt, it was simply horrible. That is why I suggest that we need to revise Ministry Law and policies, as well as a great deal many other things in the political arena. Over the years, the Ministry of Magic has been used by politicians for selfish gain, and this must be put to an end, otherwise another Voldemort could rise. The Ministry of Magic must be united and look out for the best interests of the people! Because of this, I'm sure you agree that many things need to be changed. What else would stop another Dark Lord?"

The whole audience listened with interest as Harry continued, highlighting his points with proper references and sources and summing it up collectively. As he finished, there was brief silence before another huge round of applause, signifying their approval at what he said.

As the audience dispersed, Harry shook hands with each of the people he had worked with during the 'war'. "Happy retirement, Mr. Scrimgeour," Harry said with a smile. "You've certainly deserved it."

"Yes, well, I would like to enjoy what few years left I have," Rufus admitted as they shook hands. "Good luck in your endeavours, Mr. Potter."

Amelia however had no thought of retirement. "You will still see more of me, Mr. Potter," she stated bluntly, adjusting her monocle. Despite the pressures of her job, Madame Bones had aged much better than Rufus, and was in considerably better shape. "As you know, the war may have ended, but there is still more fighting to be done. I intend to stay on until I'm confident that the Ministry of Magic is sufficient to look out for the best interests of all the people."

"Of course, Madame Bones," Harry answered. "There are enough politicians retiring now anyway, and we've got our work cut out for us to make sure that the next generation are better than this lot."

"Yes, indeed," Amelia agreed. "Although now, I think there's someone who'd like to see you."

Harry turned around and smiled. "Of course. I'll see you at the private celebrations, then."

His wife embraced him warmly, kissing him softly on the lips and earning several jealous glares from some of his female fans still lingering around, as well as ogles from his male ones. "So it is finished, then," she said. Her accent was much crisper and cleaner, retaining just enough hint of French to be seductive and smooth, almost husky, at the same time. Fleur was also at her prime, more beautiful than ever, without even needing to tap into her Veela talents, which had grown considerably under Harry's tutelage. In the Muggle world, under a pseudonym as Harry had been, she had been the ire of even the most dazzling models, aiding her husband and softening up even the hardest businessman to allow Harry to subtly manipulate them.

"Yes, this part anyway," Harry said back in a similar hushed tone, nibbling on her ear. "There is still much work to be done, but we have all the time in the world."

Fleur smiled. "Yes. All the time in the world…" she reached down and gripped his crotch. "We make such an amazing couple, don't we?"

"Of course," Harry agreed with a smirk as he led her away. After many romances, in which Harry had been devoid of true emotion, he realized his mistake. He had only dated girls. What he needed was a woman.

And Fleur was utter perfection.

-HP-

**Present**

"…I took on the title of Dark Lord, that is correct, to make a mockery of it," the Emperor continued, pacing back and forth as explosions rocked the stronghold. "Did you know that in Greek times, a tyrant did not have the connotation it does now – instead, it simply meant an unconstitutional ruler. What if, then, the constitution, the law, was flawed? In some ways Voldemort was not a Dark Lord, as the meaning of Dark Lord is similar. He tried to establish pureblood supremacy, hating his own status as half-blood. In the deepest, darkest recesses of a wizard's heart, secretly they agreed with him. That purebloods ruled. Ministry law was rigged in favour of purebloods. So then…" the Emperor laughed. "He was really constitutional!"

After a moment's pause, he continued. "So therefore I am a Dark Lord. It took me many years, but eventually I saw the truth, after a hard journey where I stood atop Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. Suffering from oxygen deprivation, the only thing allowing me to survive my magic, I realized a revelation…" his hands curled into fists. "There is a race, above all others, that was destined to rule. Beings more brilliant, more powerful, than anything else. And I am one! I am a superior being, destined to rule! To lead the world into a new age of enlightenment, to guide the lost sheep, suffering from their own prejudice and bigotry! And we have come so far!"

The Emperor was lost in his own musings. "So far. The Empire we established was perfect, in unity, in knowledge, in law, everything. Its splendor is unsurpassed, so rich its treasure that it can be shared freely among the people. The greatest borders, encompassing the entire globe, a feat not even Alexander the Great could have accomplished, without complacency, without struggle. Our knowledge of magic is unlimited, and the technology at our disposal is endless, a perfect combination of muggle and wizard craft. But they do not want any part in it. Do they not understand?" The Emperor deactivated the crystal, levitating it back to its place as he exited, murmuring to himself. "Everything was all for their own good. Everything…"

He strode into the War Centre, where all his generals were gathered, watching on a large holographic screen the battle outside, in perfect 3-D. The Emperor swept his heavy cloak behind him. "I want an update."

"Your highness, the perimeter shield has fallen, as have the outer defenses. The remnants are still putting up a fight, but we don't know how much longer they can hold on," his best general reported. "They've completely disabled our mechanized craft. Should I deploy our reserve forces?"

The Emperor rubbed his chin in thought. "No. Make the order for the soldiers in the outer defenses to retreat, and close off all the gates. Activate the emergency power to re-deploy the barrier for the inner defenses, and detonate the explosives. Hopefully it'll take out some of the attacking rebel forces. Our soldiers are better trained, and they're attempting to get through via brute force. We may be able to repel them by exhausting their armies. The mountain is too barren for them to survive and siege indefinitely." They needed to be encouraged. To believe that they still had a fighting chance. But he knew that it was all over. "…Also, deploy the Centaur Legion to reinforce the East Wing, and the Goblin forces to the West."

"Of course, your highness."

"Dismissed."

His cloak dragging behind him, he made his way up to the highest part of the fortress. There was still a chance, small as it was, to fix this. To fix everything.

"It's over, isn't it?" The Empress stepped out of her grandiose study, unbuckling the mask that signified her status as an Empress. There seemed to be an Imperial Family. The graveyard outside would indicate that. But in reality, the long-line of Emperors and Empresses were there to disguise their immortality. "Everything is at an end."

Harry unbuckled his own mask, staring down at it. The mask was silver, with the proud gold emblem of the Empire.

It was nothing now. He let it drop to the polished marble ground with a clang. "Yes. Not yet though. There's still one contingency left."

Fleur's eyes were sad. "Yes. But then our love will not have existed. I will never have known you. All of our memories together…for nothing."

Harry kissed her. "We were always meant to be together, Fleur. Always. Whether in the future, the present or the past, we will always be together! Our time shared together? We will make new memories."

Tears like crystal fell from Fleur's eyes as she wept freely. "But… she is not me, Harry. She might look like me, but she will never be me. While I wait here, in this doomed future, to die?"

Harry held her even closer. "No, Fleur, she is not. But don't you remember the oaths we made, the bond we forged together?" He pulled off his glove and raised his hand to the identical scars on their palms. "You are the other half of my soul, Fleur. You complete me. No borders, whether they are of space or time, can separate us. We will be together always. I swear it."

Another sudden explosion, closer this time, shattered the moment. Harry pulled his glove back on and kissed her longingly, before reluctantly parting, making his way to the elevator.

She stood there, a vision of perfect beauty and love, frozen in age at her prime, dressed in a sparkling blue gown. She was clutching a pendant around her neck – Harry had made that for her using crystals he had personally retrieved from the ruins of Atlantis, as a wedding gift and a symbol of their eternal love and promise together.

He planned to keep it.

-HP-

Harry entered the highest part of the stronghold, a tower which possessed a large magical stone, one he had found during an excavation of Avalon. It provided light and signaled to passing planes which was useful in the thick foggy weather, but what people didn't know was of its unique powers.

He pulled off his diadem, more or less a jeweled trifle, and got to work.

The stone was connected via several wires to a monstrous orichalcum generator. Harry punched in the key code on the console, and there was a dull hum as it activated. Several sickly green beams fired into the centre of the pedestal, as a small orb began to form.

The Emperor watched the glowing digits forming on the screen as the computer began its calculations. Everything was done to utter-perfection, the runes weren't clashing with the complicated algorithms like they were originally, as long as it continued to siphon power…

"An interesting contraption you have built for yourself, Harry. But however, your track-record of experiments do have a tendency of going awry."

Harry stiffened. He didn't need to turn around. "Albus. So glad of you to come." Then he turned around.

The former Headmaster of Hogwarts was dressed in heavy, purple robes with various enchantments and charms on them. He was young once more, but his skin was not human flesh, being grey, smooth and almost alien, his blue eyes glassy and dead, like beads stuck into a teddy bear to pose for eyes. "You can't win, Harry. Surrender yourself now, and end this madness."

"Madness?" Harry laughed harshly. "You call this 'madness'? The greatest Empire the world has known? All the things we have accomplished, all the peace achieved, destroyed thanks to the efforts of a hypocritical and narrow-minded ex-school teacher. Many would call your resurrection 'madness' also."

"It was necessary!" Dumbledore barked, raising his wand and snapping out a powerful jet of white flame.

Harry simply raised a hand and slapped it away. "Your foolishness is mirrored in your reliance on your wand," he stated bluntly. "I have grown above such petty trinkets." He narrowed his eyes, as a ball of energy formed in front of him, splitting into hundreds of pieces, which then formed into sharp knives. Dumbledore quickly blocked them all by generating a shield, although he stumbled back with effort.

"You can't win, Harry," Albus said. "Even if I do not stop you, you cannot single-handedly stop an army."

"I would hardly call your ragtag mass of rebels an army," Harry remarked. He flicked his hand behind him as a lever pulled back, a timer starting on the console.

"What's this?" Dumbledore asked in humour. "Another secret weapon?"

"In a…manner of speaking," Harry said as he turned around, flinging off his cloak. His sleek plated black armour gleamed under the ghostly light as he gripped his sword tightly, activating the rune on its pommel. "You see, Dumbledore, you can't defeat me. I have conquered death, now I have conquered time."

Albus' eyes widened. "No…Harry, don't! It is against the very laws of nature to meddle with time!"

"It's against the laws of nature to bring someone back from the dead, but I don't see you complaining," Harry shot back as he punched in the final calculations for the generator, setting the time and destination – the green orb, already massive, warped into an ethereal vortex of sparkling energy. "So, old man, see you in the past! Too bad your past version can't stop me!"

With that, Harry stepped onto the platform, and into the vortex, form dissipating into particles as it was sucked in.

Just as his body disappeared completely, the timer stopped, and simultaneously the computer activated its self-destruct sequence.

-HP-

For a period of time, long or short Harry didn't know, he felt disembodied, like a spirit whirling through the cosmos. It could have lasted for a second or eternity.

Yet the feeling ended, as Harry felt himself being squeezed through a pipe, similar to that outdated method of teleportation, before landing down on something distinctly hard.

The first thing he did was reach up and feel himself – instead of the powerful, athletic muscles he had built up, his physique was wretched, skinny and undernourished. He felt the horrid chunky glasses back on his face again.

It had worked.

The musty inky-black darkness told Harry that he was back in the cupboard under the stairs. About four or five – his calculations were accurate then.

Reaching out, he gripped the reassuring weight of his sword, which shrunk and re-adjusted to his size. It was a unique weapon, so powerful it was not displaced by even time. It had taken Harry many years to just design and build the first incarnation, a weapon of war made purely for fighting, and another hundred years to truly perfect it. Now it would follow its master wherever it went, whether it be into the afterlife, another dimension, or in this case, the past. And he would need it.

Harry paused and took a moment to meditate, tracing the paths of magic in his body to his core. He still possessed the phenomenal power, as always, but the magical pathways within him were weak, undernourished and unused. It would take at least a day or two to focus himself enough to rebuild some of the pathways so he could perhaps be strong enough to wield some basic magic, but only with age would he be able to fully command his magic like he did at his prime.

Feeling around in the darkness, Harry pushed his hand against the door – locked, as he thought. _Well, not for long…_

Pointing his sword at it, he focused and fired off a Reductor curse – there was a boom as the door splintered and blew off its hinges, flying out to the other side.

Harry blinked. Uh oh. He needed to regain full control as well.

Before dear old Uncle Vernon could come down and beat him, Harry pulled himself out. Another Reductor curse shattered the front door, and he ran outside as quickly as possible, outside the blood wards. With a loud pop, he disapparated.

-HP-

Finding a hideout was easy enough. Harry had simply made his way to a mall, easily able to avoid the guards and security, making sure to eat properly and get plenty of sleep. He wasn't prepared for any strenuous exercise yet, his body simply couldn't be able to handle it and he needed to be at his best in case anyone came looking for him.

Nevertheless, hiding himself away, over two days Harry constantly meditated and focused, rebuilding as many of the magical pathways around his body as possible. He couldn't begin magic core building exercises, it was simply too exhausting as well. At the very least, Harry didn't get panted after casting a few silent spells.

Finally after Harry had done as much as he could have for his body, he disapparated away to begin the next part of his plan.

-HP-

"Dobby, fetch Draco another blanket," Lucius ordered as he set his son in bed. "And do make sure it is of the proper material this time. I would hate for you to be punished…again."

The house elf bowed shakily before disappearing.

"Father, tell me another story of the Dark Lord," the little Draco begged. "Please?"

Lucius smiled. "Perhaps another time. You are getting sleepy, aren't you?" He laughed as his son gave a fervent shake of the head. "Ah, there is one that might interest you. It is…" suddenly the schemer froze as he felt the Malfoy family ring warm up on his finger. An intruder! "Dear me, it seems there is a matter I need to attend to. Stay in your room," he ordered as he bolted out as fast as possible.

Narcissa met him in the atrium. "Over there, on the edge of the wards," she said, pointing out the window.

"There seems to only be one. I'll investigate, stay here," Lucius ordered as he walked outside, light glowing from his wand-tip.

The edge of the wards was just on the grounds, it was probably a nosy reporter trying to…

Lucius froze.

It was a young boy, dressed in tatty, horrid muggle clothing, but that was not what stopped him. What stopped him was the signature lightning scar, showing that he was Harry Potter, and those…red eyes…

"Lucius," the voice that came out of Potter was not that of a boy, but a man, smooth and slick, yet harsh and sinister. It was a voice he knew only too well. "It has been long."

The response was automatic as Lucius bowed. "My lord, you have returned!"

'Voldemort' cocked his head. "Returned? Come, Lucius, there is much to discuss. And my wand?"

"I retrieved it, my lord. Come, Malfoy Manor has remained unchanged since your last visit."

After sending Narcissa out, claiming it was an important visitor which it was, Lucius and Harry seated themselves in one of the rooms.

Dobby returned with the wand, handing it to Lucius who then handed it to Harry.

"Excellent," Harry stated in cold pleasure as he flicked his wand, conjuring for himself silky black acromantula robes. It was odd to use one of these after such a long time, but he remembered everything and Voldemort's wand was similar enough that it would do for now. "Now, my dear Lucius, even inhabiting the body of this muggle-raised weakling I still wield enough power to observe wizard affairs. I know of your…tricks, to avoid a sentence in Azkaban, while my loyal followers rot there, as of the numerous excuses made by my other followers. Close your mouth, there is no need to speak, as nothing you say can justify your actions. _Crucio._" After holding it for a short time, Harry released it – Lucius got back off the floor shakily and returned to the chair, realizing that even in a boy's body his lord still possessed immense power. "But Lord Voldemort is merciful, and this may be useful. For now, Lucius, I need your abundant resources. It must be completed in utter secrecy, and no one is to know of this outside your family, for I swear the consequences will be dire."

"Of course, my lord!" Lucius declared. "My resources are completely at your disposal, and my family will take vows on magic itself."

Harry smirked. "Good. I do not wish to involve the traitors until they beg to return. We work under the nose of the Ministry. I have observed the muggles over several years…" he leaned in. "Tell me, Lucius. Why should we waste the good lives of noble purebloods when we can waste half-bloods and mudbloods?"

Lucius' eyes widened at this prospect.

"Yes. An army of soldiers, brainwashed from an early age to be loyal to our cause and nothing else, trained harshly for the sole purpose of killing. And the purebloods will command them. The ultimate irony, is it not? Fighting against their own kin. From an early age, they could even be our secret agents amongst our foes when the war begins again in earnest."

"But my lord…that's brilliant!" Lucius spluttered. "An army of pawns… no need to waste the ranks of the purebloods."

Harry nodded. "We have plans to make. Many of the secrets I have uncovered over the years about magic will be put into play. They will never even suspect us until it is too late…"

He would use him. Use him and his resources and the Death Eaters, and then discard them when their use was up. There was no place for such bigotry in his world order.


	2. Chapter 2

_Voldemort's smirk could not get wider. "Harry Potter...you have slipped my grasp time and time again, yet like a lamb going to the slaughter, here you are, timely interrupting a meeting between me and my Death Eaters. I knew Gryffindors were fools, but this is a new height of stupidity."_

"_Is that so, Voldemort?" Harry asked calmly, gripping the handle of his sword. He was dressed in a loose fitting coat and clothes that obscured the armour he was wearing underneath. "Because that isn't the case. In fact, what will happen tonight is you, and all your Death Eaters, dying ignoble deaths."_

_All the Death Eaters roared with laughter._

"_How do you think you can stop us by yourself, boy?" Lucius mocked. "When you barely struggled to get even through school?"_

_Harry shrugged. "School's school. And I'm not, because though I'm sorely tempted to..." the room echoed suddenly with the unsheathing of blades. "My men are aching to kill them."_

_Literally appearing out of thin air with ninja-like invisibility, were men dressed in black garb and sleek platinum masks – however, instead of the masks of the Death Eaters, all these masks showed were blank, emotionless faces, the eye and mouth pieces open to reveal only soulless shadow. _

_There was one for each Death Eater, who were frozen in a mix of shock and fear – a blade was at each of their necks. _

_Harry only gave a curt nod, as their throats were slashed and their bodies allowed to drop to the floor. "Now it's just you and me, Voldemort," he said quietly._

"_Indeed," Voldemort sneered. The way he casually referred to him as 'Voldemort' was odd, incredibly off-putting to be frank. The old fool referred to him as 'Tom', earning him his rage. His followers referred to him as 'Lord' or 'the Dark Lord', and the rest simply called him 'You-know-who' or 'He-who-must-not-be-named'. But to simply acknowledge him as 'Voldemort'... _

"_They're only here to watch," Harry answered the unasked question, slipping off his coat. "You can have the first move."_

_Voldemort growled at the sheer insolence his enemy was showing – to even believe that he had a chance of defeating him, outnumbered as he was, to make as if this was some silly game! He would not show him even mercy._

_Swiftly Harry dodged the killing curse, whipping out of the way at the very last second. But this was followed by curse after curse, spell after spell, and Harry easily evaded, flipped and dodged them all. "That was very generous of me, wasn't it?" Harry remarked. "Now...it's my move."_

_Raising his sword, a blue light began to emit from the rune-inscribed surface of the blade – Harry slashed it forward, throwing out a blue orb of energy. It moved so quickly that Voldemort had no time to get away, and his red eyes widened as he hastily conjured a shield. This was no help however as the shield dissipated on contact, and the orb blew him into the wall._

_Harry lazily hefted his sword up. "Well that was a little...anti-climatic," he commented, walking towards his fallen foe as if strolling through a park. "I expected resistance of some sort."_

_Suddenly Voldemort whipped up, and, putting all his might behind it, threw out a powerful killing curse. _

_But alas he gained nothing by this surprise attack – instead, Harry gripped his sword, scarlet lightning crackling around it, before in a one-handed motion cut straight through it, breaking it up into fading pieces of green._

_Voldemort gaped in shock. "How is that possible?" he demanded. "Nothing can stop a killing curse!"_

"_For one who knows of the very essence of magic itself, it's only a trifling matter," Harry stated. "Now you are defeated, and you know it. Your horcruxes destroyed, your followers with their throats cut, there is one final thing to take care of."_

"_Come on, Potter..." Voldemort threw away his wand. "You wouldn't kill an unarmed prisoner now would you? I, after all, am surrendering peacefully. You must try me now under Ministry law, before sending me to Azkaban. Surely a pure one such as you wouldn't resort to the killing curse?"_

"_You're right." Harry said. "I won't kill you. Because I have something far better planned. You see, I believe strongly in rehabilitation. Everyone, after all, despite all their crimes, deserves a second chance. It is fortunate for you then, that I am sending you back into muggle society, hopeless and harmless."_

"_No..." Voldemort whispered, horrified. "NO! You can't take away my magic! What are you thinking, Potter? To send me to live as a filthy muggle with no power to defend myself?" _

_Harry smiled. "I know, it's quite ingenious of me, actually." His sword glowed brightly with yellow power. "Now only to find you an occupation... perhaps a plumber? No, too ugly. Ah! The principle act in a circus freak show. How about it, Voldemort? Or should I now say, Tom Riddle?"_

_And after that all Voldemort saw was darkness._

-HP-

"You are certain of this?" Harry asked, still in disguise as his arch-enemy. After several months of fine living, his body was doing significantly better and nourished as it should have been, and he was able to begin physical conditioning. At the present however, he was in one of Malfoy Manor's private rooms which had been extended and converted into a temporary headquarters.

Lucius bowed. "Yes, my lord. Azkaban is as weak as it has been in decades. The Aurors' strike has severely weakened its security, and because of it the prison is virtually defenceless."

Harry smirked. "Excellent." By 'virtually' he knew that there was still a small contingent on the island – however it was not even worth factoring in, as they were only there for management of the place, since the Dementors had been called away, rightly considered 'too dangerous' to be allowed to run rampant. It was a stroke of brilliance to have Lucius set the circumstances for Aurors to become dissatisfied with their pay, and now they could literally stroll in and stroll out, prisoners in hand. "I trust you know what to do, then?"

"My lord, if I may say so... some might be...unhappy to see me."

"Of course, as is their right. But despite this personal vendettas can wait – tell them their lord has returned and requires their assistance. Also...bring me Sirius Black, personally."

Lucius was taken aback. "My lord, I was unaware he was on our side."

"Lord Voldemort has followers in many places," Harry hissed. "Now go, and ready yourself. I however have other matters to attend to."

-HP-

Harry used an illusory charm he had picked up a hundred years ago to project himself to appear as a handsome, tall man, of classical Aryan characteristics – blonde hair, blue eyes, athletic frame.

Dressed in a crisp suit, he made an international portkey that took him to Romania, in the middle of a busy muggle metropolitan city.

He looked around fondly – he had plenty of memories of this place. However he shook off his nostalgia, and hailed a taxi. "To Fox International, thank you," Harry said as they drove off.

There was a magazine on the ground, and Harry picked it up, flicking through it as he picked up on the latest news and gossip of the time period. He could remember the times when he or Fleur always made the cover, separately or together. The perfect celebrity couple, the media called them, both in muggle and magical society. Both of them had contributed to the world in various and meaningful ways, and with his knowledge Harry was seeking to do even more from a younger age.

As they pulled up by the massive Fox International building, Harry used magic to make the driver think he had been paid before getting out, looking upwards. Fox International was a massive organisation that spread across the globe, but few knew of its true nature...

Ignoring the reception area, Harry made his way straight to the elevator, blending in perfectly amongst the businessmen going about their work, who did not even notice their newcomer.

Harry waited patiently as the elevator went up, stopping occasionally to let people out or for more to come in, until he reached the highest level – his stop.

Walking out, Harry strolled to the receptionist. "Good morning," he said pleasantly. "I'm here to see Mr. Fox."

The young lady flicking paper darts off her desk in boredom looked up to see before her...a perfect specimen of human masculinity. And the scent he exuded! It took all her willpower just to prevent herself from salivating. "Err...of course. Do you have an appointment?"

Harry smiled, pretending to ignore her internal conflict. It seemed that in this timeline Rachel was just as prone to giving in to her...baser instincts. The vampire was exquisitely beautiful, with flawless pale skin, vivid blue eyes and soft raven dark hair that fell to her shoulders like a mane, and her reputation as a sexual predator that often killed her lovers in a feeding frenzy was notorious among her kin. "I'm afraid not. But..." he leaned in, giving her a perfectly unobstructed view of his seemingly real, muscular neck, and unconsciously Rachel licked her lips. "It is rather important that I see Mr. Fox. It is of utmost importance, and given his _uniqueness_..."

Suddenly, it was as if a spell broke over Rachel – her soft face twisted into a mask, and she scowled, baring her fangs. "I'll ring him now."

Harry waited patiently as her eyes dilated, indicating she was communicating with her adoptive father telepathically, before refocusing again on him. "He's not busy. Go in."

As he walked in, he gave her a dazzling smile, again baring his neck, making Rachel shiver with pleasure as she mentally indulged in her demented fantasies. No, nothing had changed at all.

Mr. Fox was looking out the window as he came in, dressed in his trademark black suit, he looked to be a man in his forties, except there was an ageless quality about him that was reinforced by his flawless skin, perfectly formed lips and sharp piercing gray eyes. "Good morning," he said, turning around, he offered his hand to Harry who shook it, remembering his icy grip. "I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with you. I am Lucien Fox, and you are...?"

Harry smiled as he dropped the illusion. "Harry Potter. I'm here for...negotiations."

Lucien hid his surprise as Harry dropped the facade. "Very well. Take a seat then."

As they did, Harry began. "I'm sure your contacts have told you that Lord Voldemort is currently hiding, powerless, in Romanian territory."

"That they have, but I see fit not to interfere, so long as he abides by our truce."

"Do you honestly think that he would?" Harry asked calmly. "Voldemort is a sociopath. Once he's finished with the wizarding world he will come for you."

"And what evidence do you have for these accusations?"

"What evidence do you have to counter them?" Harry shot back. "Nothing but his word. I'm certain you're aware that similar sociopaths who have popped up in history have a notorious reputation for this sort of affair."

"Then what do you suggest I do?" Lucien asked irritably. "Allow him to reveal the location of the main power base of the largest organisation of vampires in the world? We vampires have our reputation also to consider. We keep our word."

"And what will it take you then to come round? Allow Voldemort to attack and potentially destroy half your ranks before retaliating? His Death Eaters are experienced in surprise attacks, Mr. Fox, it would take a long time before you managed to realise he has turned on the truce. At the moment, I am only making you aware that your truce with Voldemort only lasted till the end of the war – and as he is powerless and defeated, the war is ended, so your truce has been voided."

Mr. Fox raised an eyebrow. How did a child have such knowledge of vampire affairs?

Harry continued. "I'm only asking you not to make a similar mistake when he returns, because make no mistake, he will return, stronger than before. Already I hear the Death Eaters are on the move again, eagerly anticipating the return of their master. But all _I_ need is a little time... to grow older until can properly match him. And I am asking you, something relatively small, to detain him as long as possible."

"Is that all?"

"Yes. I understand you vampires are very slick with your words, and I respect that. I also respect your honour Mr. Fox, to see that I am not a threat, instead, a potential ally. You know that I have a lot of say in the magical world. I can't promise anything at the moment, but eventually vampires will stand alongside the rest of the world. Voldemort only promised you won't be bothered, I however can promise you an equal place alongside all other races. All I ask is that you interpret my plea favourably."

The vampire closed his eyes for a moment, considering the offer. Normally he wouldn't even listen to a child, but this child was mature beyond his years, and he was correct, carried a lot of weight in the wizarding world. What he was offering was significant, and besides, he could always kill him if worse came to worse. "Done. Now leave my sight."

Harry bowed in respect, pulling the illusion around him again before leaving.

-HP-

As he returned to Malfoy Manor, he saw that a lot of Death Eaters had gathered in the atrium, some still dressed in their prisoner garbs.

Harry disillusioned himself before sneaking up to the meeting room, where Lucius was waiting patiently for his master to return.

"Lucius..." he hissed, deactivating the charm – so silent he was that the man jumped, and so powerful the charm that he appeared to have literally walked out of thin air. "I see you have done well. Excellent."

"Thank you, my lord!" the man said with a bow.

"And Sirius Black?"

"In a bed now, recovering from his plight. I have instructed the house elves to routinely feed him, as well as give him nutritional potions to help him regain his strength. He has not seen me and knows nothing of where we are."

"Very good. He is extremely important in my plans. Now..." he stood up. "My loyal followers are waiting."

There was a cry of approval from the Death Eaters as he stepped down, walking amongst them. "Friends, it has been too long," he began slowly. "Despite being only several years, you, my loyal followers, have endured even Azkaban, refusing to reject my name as others have done. And you will be rewarded, for I will not involve any of them until they hear of my glorious return, then beg for forgiveness at my feet!"

"Death to the traitors!" One of them yelled.

Harry smirked coldly, mimicking Voldemort's smirk perfectly. "No, my friends. Their fate is worse than death, for they will grovel before you, the loyal, and be unable to return to their full positions. Perhaps some may earn their positions in the Inner Circle again...in time. But enough – there are many plans to be made. The old fool suspects that I am still alive, but weak and powerless, and I intend to keep it this way. We have many, many plans to be made, but they must be done with utter secrecy. The Ministry must not become aware I am still alive, and time must be allowed for this child's body to mature to its full strength. But until then, there are a great deal of tasks that require doing. But we are patient, we are cunning, the powers we command infinite and multiplying. Whether it be today or tomorrow, our enemies will be defeated!"

With that declaration, he exited, giving instructions to Lucius to properly attire and feed them, preparing himself for the long awaited meeting with his godfather...in this lifetime.

-HP-

Sirius Black awoke groggily to find himself in an incredibly comfortable bed. His scraggly prisoner garb had been replaced with...silk pyjamas. _Well this is interesting. Haven't worn something like this since I was a kid. _Pulling himself up, he marvelled at how his body seemed to have regained some of its complexion – even only being in Azkaban several years, the first few years were the hardest, especially if everyone thought you were a traitor to the Potter family.

But where was he? Looking around, he could immediately recognise the pureblood furniture. Some of the stuff was pricey, and because of this he knew he must've been in the home of a high-class wizard. Turning around, his stomach grumbled at the sight of a tray of food.

Figuring it must've been for him, he literally jumped on it, devouring it all quickly like a hungry dog, finishing it all off in a matter of minutes before leaning back in contentment.

A laugh however broke his temporary reverie – a boyish laugh. "You haven't changed a bit, have you, Sirius?"

Sirius looked up – and nearly jumped. "Harry?" he croaked. Flying out of the bed, he rushed to grab his godson in a hug. "Harry! You've grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you!" But suddenly his eyes widened as he realised what Harry might've thought. "Harry, I swear it, I didn't betray your..."

"I know," Harry interrupted. "That's why I broke you out."

Sirius frowned. "You broke me out of Azkaban?" he asked, dumbfounded. "But you're not even..."

"Well technically I planned it then got my Death Eater lackey to do it," he explained, using his wand to cast strong protective and secrecy wards.

Sirius' response was expected. "Um...what?"

Harry laughed. "It's a long, long story Sirius. And some of it, you won't believe."

-HP-

After an hour of explaining his story, albeit one summarising all the main points, Harry finally fell silent, allowing Sirius to digest it.

Eventually Sirius spoke. "Harry... if this came from anyone else other than my godson, and after seeing you now and being here in the Malfoy house...I think I believe you," he began. "And although I don't quite agree with some of your ways, I can see how it was necessary."

Harry sighed inwardly in relief. "Yeah... I can't say I agree with my ways either. But I know full-well they were necessary," he said calmly. "Someone has to make the choice that everyone else refuses to. I willingly bear the burden of that responsibility, because it is necessary, for the good of everyone."

Sirius smiled and gave him another hug. "I know, Harry, and I'm proud of you for that. Your parents are proud of you for that. It's incredibly selfless." His smile turned into a frown. "But for Dumbledore to go through with that..."

"I know, even after seeing how far we came," Harry said sadly. "All that work, for nothing. But at the very least, this time, it can be different."

"It already is." Sirius replied. "I couldn't imagine being in that hellhole of a prisoner for any more years. But on a positive note... marrying a veela! James would've been proud of that!" He laughed with a Marauder grin.

"Quarter veela, but you wouldn't have known it. Even the full-blooded veelas used to throw her jealous glares as she walked past." Harry's eyes misted with memory. "She was so perfect... everything I would want in a woman."

"Hey," Sirius said in encouragement. "At least this time you can know her sooner right?"

"Yeah, course!" Harry laughed. "Don't have to wait till the Tri-Wizard tournament and all that. But until then there's a heap of work to do. Don't you worry, these Death Eaters won't be terrorising any muggle villages anytime soon..."

Sirius leaned in conspiratorially. "You have a prank?"

"The biggest prank you can play on Death Eaters," Harry replied with a smirk, leaning in also to tell him.

-HP-

Lucius grimaced as he tugged on his muggle suit. It was undignified on a pureblood such as himself, but for his lord's plan it was required, despite his own misgivings.

And he certainly had plenty of them – although he knew better than to question their leader, how did he know which muggle children to choose? Even the Ministry could not observe from such a young age in muggle areas. But yet again, he had been promised that his lord's methods were unerringly accurate, and as his power knew no bounds, even allowing him to avoid death, such a thing was probably child's play.

And the consequences would be quite dire if he scared them away... so taking a deep breath, Lucius checked the address once again, and knocked on the door.

A relatively young woman answered the door.

Lucius plastered on a fake, polite smile. "Good afternoon," he began. "Are you Mrs. Granger?"

"Yes. And who might you be?"

"My name is Mr. Malfoy. I come on the behalf of an extremely prestigious boarding school, and your daughter has caught our attention with her excellent school grades." The line was well-rehearsed and pulled off even better – Lucius congratulated himself.

"Oh...oh my! Please, do come in!"

Lucius felt a sick feeling welling up in his throat as his gaze passed over all the horrid muggle concoctions, but thankfully he managed to restrain himself as the lady invited him to take a seat.

Once there, she began asking questions, and for every question Lucius had a perfectly rehearsed answer. His lord was cunning and knew exactly what they would ask, and because of this the woman was becoming more and more impressed by the minute, especially when she was given several well-faked pamphlets.

Later on in the conversation the muggle girl's father came home – after much discussion and paraphrasing of his answers, they eventually agreed.

"Excellent," Lucius said with an oily smile as he handed them several more information pamphlets, which outlined what each student was required to have – not much, as all textbooks and school material were provided.

"I have one other question," Mr. Granger said cautiously. "How much are the school fees?"

"Because your daughter is going in on a scholarship, it will be only slightly more than your current fees," Lucius explained as he told them the figure. After that, there was no need for anymore haggling – the parents were completely convinced.

The first of the Death Eater army of muggleborns was recruited.

-HP-

"Harry... are you really going to let Death Eaters teach these children dark arts?" Sirius asked worriedly. The two of them were by the coast on a vast stretch of flat land, next to a cliff overlooking the sea.

"Of course not," he answered as he finished placing four stones around the corners of lines drawn into the grass. From the air, it would look even to be the floor plans of what appeared to be a large castle. "Don't worry Sirius, you'll see eventually. Oh yeah, and after this, I may be quite exhausted, so be prepared with the potions I gave you." Harry pulled out a stone very similar to the four already on the ground, except it had a different rune carved into its granite surface. Tapping it with his sword, which had been shrunk to the size of a wand, it began glowing a deep red. A sound began to emit from it, a pinging noise, and the four stones also began to pulse red and ping as well – their combination created a series of harmonies.

Harry closed his eyes as he poured his magic into the stones, envisioning the place he had in mind, as a cord of energy fired out, connecting to all the stones before shooting up into the air, interlinking and creating a glowing red frame of the castle.

Slowly, Harry twisted his hand, as the cord strengthened and became more tangible, gradually turning to lines of obsidian stone.

He paused – at this point he was sweating and huffing. Such a thing would have normally been effortless, but in the body of a child it was significantly more strenuous and took more effort. Finally, after building up significant magic he exhaled and pressed his sword into the rock: _"Build."_

And to Sirius' astonishment, the castle began building itself from the ground up, starting with a foundation before mortar, stone and wood assembled themselves, connecting and interlocking before finally there before them lay a large, stone castle, imposing in its gothic architecture, towers and spires.

Harry stumbled down in exhaustion, but was quickly helped by his godfather who gave him several of the potions he had made beforehand. "Thanks," he panted as he downed several of them – immediately he felt much better.

"That was amazing!" Sirius gaped. "Is this how far magic's come in the future?"

"It was one of the first things I invented, actually," Harry laughed, wiping sweat off his chin. "As you can imagine the demand for this was high. A tidy profit, I should think, and the beauty of it is that you can make it last nearly forever without any corrosion or weakening, unless under attack of course."

"And this will?"

"It will certainly last a lifetime unless I decide to undo the magic on it, which may eventually happen when it's lost its usefulness," Harry answered as he pocketed his blade and flicked Voldemort's wand. The mechanisms within the heavy door clicked and operated for the first time, and it withdrew and opened to reveal a grand, splendid hall. But however aside from the chandelier, tables and elaborate patterns on the walls, it was surprisingly sparsely furnished.

"It's quite minimal, as you can see," Harry explained. "It really only offers the basic necessities, that's intentional, so they're not spoilt. I'll explain everything else later on, but first I'll take you through a tour of the castle."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Apologies for the long delay. I will attempt to update more frequently. Further my previous chapters need revision since new changes to the site have eliminated scene breaks.

-HP-

"Lucius," Harry hissed, seated before him in the temporary headquarters of Malfoy Manor. "Report."

"My lord, we have recovered a quarter of the ingredients you requested," the Malfoy head began, unfurling a roll of parchment and handing it to him. "Many of them are extremely rare and as such…"

"I know," Harry snapped impatiently. "To be frank, I am impressed that you have acquired this amount. At this rate within another several years you will have all the ingredients I require. Perhaps a reward for my followers is due."

Harry hid a smirk at Lucius' gleeful look. The man was honestly too greedy for his own good, and he didn't need to use Legilimency to know that he was probably going to try something to get more. Playing Voldemort was much too easy, as sad as it was – he had done so convincingly for several years now, and they were nearly at the end of their usefulness. Harry had time to ponder a suitably ironic yet amusing end for the Death Eaters.

Sending them on a wild item hunt around the world, bar Romania, had been a stroke of genius. The Death Eaters were much too busy running around, eager to prove their loyalties to really question him, and Harry was sure the methods they employed satiated their bloodlust – though he was strict in ordering that they leave no trace and to use force reasonably lest they be discovered. Though admittedly even he knew that this would be extremely difficult, and Harry knew regrettably that collateral damage would occur.

Externally Harry dismissed him with a wave of his hand, turning to the walnut door behind him.

Although looking like any normal door, a strong wizard would get an odd sensation if they walked past it, a feeling easily rectified by weak notice-me-not charms. That was because it was in actuality a Displacement Gate, popularly known as a Gateway.

Harry put his hand on the knob, letting the magic on the door recognize his unique signature before it hummed and unlocked, letting him into the Headmaster's office of the Royal Academy of Magic and the Arcane.

The name had been chosen on a whim, but it fitted the dark, shadowy tones of the castle. Though on the outside it appeared like a large gothic castle, it was designed on the interior to resemble more Grecian and Roman architecture.

He could remember the first day of the students' inauguration very clearly, all of them recognizing the styles of architecture that had been incorporated. It was in the inauguration chamber, a place which was distinctly more influenced by Egyptian architecture than others.

And like Egyptian beliefs, it symbolised death, to go on a voyage of self-discovery, and knowledge. To enter the Royal Academy was for your old self to die and your new self to become enlightened.

Harry thought it was a pretty good idea, Sirius just told him he was thinking too hard. This was probably true.

Slipping into his guise of the middle-aged Headmaster, he walked towards the grounds, where the students were learning hand-to-hand combat in the sand pits.

"Good!" Sarge yelled, kneeling down beside a boy who had wrestled another into submission. "Make sure you keep your grip tight. Allow him no room to maneuver or get any of his limbs out of the submission hold. Keep it strong." As he noticed the Headmaster approaching, he stood up. "Hold up you lot and stand!"

The class got up, giving him a greeting as he approached. "Good morning students. I'm just here to talk to Sarge."

"Very good. Alright you lot, take turns practising the new submission holds!"

Harry had found Sarge in wizard America. A squib who had served in the US Special Forces, he had stayed on for several years as a combat instructor and trainer before enjoying early retirement. He preferred the nickname 'Sarge' over his real name Rock Williamson, and agreed to take on this job to supply his children money to afford a better education above the bigotry of wizards. "What's up sir?"

"How are the children progressing?" Harry asked as they walked through the grounds.

"They're not going too bad actually, for a bunch of school children. Most of them have grasped it fairly well, even the girls once they learnt of the benefits. You've got a bunch of bright kids here."

"The best," Harry answered. "They're all bright, that's why they were chosen."

Sarge scratched his head. "Well you know how I feel about this whole thing. Most of these kids are pretty likeable. I'd hate for any of their hopes to be dashed once they fully entered the wizard world and saw how corrupt it was."

"That's why this school is in place. I've been over to several wizard villages, and what they learn is almost medieval. It's no wonder their world hasn't changed at all. We need leaders who can show the way."

"Well that's all well and good," Sarge replied, his distinctive Texas accent showing, "and I'm pleased to say that they're all doing well. I feel some are ready for more advanced hand-to-hand and maybe weapons training."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Already?" What made Sarge even further qualified for the job was coming from a strong martial arts background, meaning he was qualified to handle most traditional weapons.

"Some of them catch on pretty quick."  
"While that's a good idea, I'm guessing there're a few that are a little slower than the others. Make it clear that they're only as good as the weakest of them."

Sarge nodded. "I see what you want – teambuilding huh?"

"Exactly. The quicker ones will help the ones who find it difficult catch on, if only to learn more. It wouldn't work with normal kids, but these kids are bright. They know they need each other anyway."

It had been a shock to many of them to realize the existence of magic, and a world literally underneath their feet. Without each other, they were alone in this new world, and to be cast alone in a world steeped in corruption and bigotry was tantamount to suicide for them, especially as muggleborn. They all knew of such derogatory terms as 'Mudblood', though eventually grew to be proud of their titles, the boys even using it in casual conversation.

Many of the muggleborn students whom he had recruited for the Royal Academy had actually never attended Hogwarts in Harry's original timeline, although later on in his extensive travels he had encountered each and every one of them and found them to be extremely gifted, several of which formed the backbone of his extensive private army. In fact, bar Hermione none of them had attended Hogwarts. Some came from as far away as New Zealand.

Harry paused and gave Sarge a nod. "Thank you for the report and as always you have my utmost confidence in your training methods. As such, you may file a request for the items you need to train the children."

"Thanks sir, I'll get back to it."

The former Emperor felt pleased as he walked back to the castle. It seemed it was the right decision to create a secret school of magic, and it felt the right time to begin expanding his network of contacts. There were several plans that Harry wanted to bring to light, and he was sure Sirius would be willing to lend a hand.

-HP-

Remus was not having the best morning. It was the day after his routine werewolf transformation, and without Wolfsbane potion the process was painful and exhausting. Remus felt like he had run a marathon as he went into the Leaky Cauldron. "A shot of Fire whiskey and some breakfast, Tom," he said, sitting on the bar stool.

"Fire whiskey this early in the day, Mr. Lupin?" Tom inquired, even as he pulled out a glass and began pouring it.

"It's been a long night…" Remus frowned as he dug into his pocket. He thought he had some money left over from his last job before they fired him, but…

"This gentleman's food and drink are on me Tom," an unfamiliar voice said from beside him, dropping a few coins into the Leaky Cauldron owner's hand.

The startled Remus turned around to see a stranger who was immaculately dressed in a muggle suit, with chiseled features, slicked back blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. "I'm sorry Mr.…"

"Machiavelli," the stranger interrupted. "Draco Machiavelli."

That odd name stirred something in Remus' memory, that surname sounded familiar but he didn't know why. "Mr. Machiavelli, I thank you for the offer, but I don't think I can repay you anytime soon."

"That's not necessary, when one says it's 'on me', that usually implies it is done without thought of something in return," Draco said calmly as he sipped on a drink Remus was unfamiliar with.

"Well…thank you," Remus said, unused to such kindness. It took a minute before Tom gave Remus a plate with several sausages, bacon and eggs, and he dove in with great hunger, wolfing (no pun intended) through the food before sitting back, letting the drink dull his aching body.

"You are Remus Lupin, correct?"

Remus paused. "That's right, how do you know me?"

"You might not know me, but I was a first year when you and your friends were in your seventh."

"Is that so?" Remus laughed – his school years were a distant memory, a warm one, and soon the two of them launched into a discussion about their time at school, specifically Remus' role in the notorious Marauders.

After the two of them had laughed their way through several prank stories, Machiavelli paused, swirling the liquid in his drink. "Times changed after you left, Remus. The Slytherins were even more vicious than ever and I remember having a school grudge with this idiotic one in the same year. I beat him every time, of course, but it just wasn't the same, what with it being a war and all. Whatever happened to the Marauders anyway?"

At this Remus' eyes darkened. "You don't know?"

"I've been overseas for most of the time. I've only just returned, and it's been a while since the war ended. I haven't heard much aside from the occasional Boy-Who-Lived fanatic."

"Well you should know that James died when Voldemort busted into their home…" to his surprise Machiavelli didn't react to the name. "They were betrayed by Sirius. Peter was killed when he confronted him."

Machiavelli looked at him in horror. "Sirius? No!"

Remus nodded glumly. "It's true. Sirius was the secret-keeper, and he was a Death Eater all along. He was thrown into Azkaban, but with the recent breakout he's on the loose once more."

"Tom!" Machiavelli called. "Another glass for the gentleman." Once Remus had Fire whiskey in hand, Draco raised his own drink. "I propose a toast then. To fallen comrades."

"To fallen comrades," Remus agreed, as they both drank.

"Although I find it odd that Sirius would betray you," the man noted. "You see Remus, I worked for the goblins for a little while, and one thing you learn from the goblins, excellent bankers that they are, is people's behavior. Sirius to me seemed the perfect Gryffindor – loyal, honourable and just. Are you quite certain he was the traitor?"

Remus nodded. "Yes."

"Because, if it were up to me, I would have picked Peter as the betrayer. A follower, weak, ready to switch sides to play for the winning team… I've seen plenty of them in my time, Remus, and believe me once you've seen one you've seen them all."

The werewolf frowned as he thought back. True, but the evidence…"

"From the stories I pick up every now and then, they were circumstantial. In a muggle court, though circumstantial evidence is taken into light only hard, solid evidence is used. For example, was Veritaserum at all used on Sirius in his trial?"

"No…he didn't have a trial." Remus whispered, a seed of doubt forming in his mind.

"I'm glad you see things my way," Machiavelli smiled as he grabbed hold of Remus, and activated his Portkey.

Remus found himself dumped into a large and extremely lavish muggle hotel room, with the very person they were talking about just before.

Sirius was looking significantly better now, in fact it looked like he had never been in Azkaban at all. "Hey Remus," he said with a smile. "Harry told you I'm innocent right?"

"Sirius? Wait, Harry?" A gob smacked Remus turned to see the form of Draco Machiavelli disappearing into a small boy.

"Hello Remus," Draco – no Harry Potter said with a smile. He brandished a wand and flicked it, creating a large, glowing bowl with swirling fluid in it. "I'm sure you have many questions. Because I don't like repeating myself, I've created a temporary Pensieve with the relevant memory for your viewing."

Temporary pensieve? Warily, Remus lowered his head into the liquid, to find himself in for the shock of his life.

The first memory Harry had placed in was a memory of Sirius', in particular what had really happened that night, and the second was Harry's, of his conversation with him regarding his unique history.

Several minutes later Remus pulled his head out, turning to give Sirius a strong hug. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you Padfoot, I was such an idiot for thinking you would betray us!"

"It's alright Moony, we thought that you were the traitor because of being a werewolf, those were crazy times my friend."

Remus regarded the young boy before him now with a new perspective. "I don't quite know what to say to you Harry. After listening to your tale…the logical part of my mind says this is desperately a hoax."

"Then we must have different laws of logic, because that is among one of the only explanations to make sense," Harry said as, to prove a point he effortlessly conjured for himself a splendid throne to sit in.

Remus shook his head. "This is some crazy dream," he muttered.

Sirius simply rolled his eyes. "You know, you were always meant to be the smart one Remus."

Harry raised a hand. "Just listen to me for a moment Remus. As you heard in the memory I'm running a school, called the Royal Academy of Magic and the Arcane. It's a school for gifted people, people who the wizarding world traditionally shuns, to learn their abilities and take their place in the changing world, specifically places of leadership. We're talking about changing the whole world Remus, not just wizard but muggle. I'm not always going to be in Remus, I need to expand to a bigger staff. I want to teach them everything, and to do that I'll need teachers to accommodate different subjects." He held out his hand. "I'd be honoured for us to have you aboard. You'll be paid, suitably accommodated in the castle and you'd be free to teach them whatever you're most comfortable with."

Remus frowned. "But your type of magic…"

"They're aware of my type of magic, but they need to start off with what wizards know first before progressing. Look, I'll make you a deal as well. You teach at my school, and not only do you get paid, sheltered and fed, but I teach you how to control your wolf form. That is, being able to transform with only a thought, and as you wish as well."

Remus froze. "You can do that?"

"Yes. I could alternatively offer a cure for the disease, and it is true many did in my time, others decided to make better use of the ability. So what do you say?"

"You have a deal Harry." They shook hands.

"YES!" Sirius punched the air. "I have my friend back!"

-HP-

Hermione was a smart, sensible and logical girl, but her logic had completely failed her when the chauffeur who was meant to take her to her new private school took her to one that completely defied belief.

It would have been completely overwhelming, had the other students not found themselves in the same predicament. Hermione found it refreshing because all of the students were similar to her, with a keenness for knowledge and learning, and she was proud to say that she was friends with all the students. It was simply so lovely to share something as amazing as magic with people like her who were just as much in the dark!

The library the Royal Academy had was massive, and Hermione among others had devoured it, although she was shocked at the amount of corruption and bigotry in this world. The Headmaster had told them in their inauguration that these were problems that they needed to solve, together.

She had learnt so much since she came here, not just about magic but about life and people as well. Many of the boys were talented and studious but they had also taught her not just to rely on books but also her experience. Quite a few of them liked to start early and take a walk around the grounds, which were absolutely beautiful. Every morning Hermione woke up to a gorgeous sunrise and the sweet smell of the sea, and as they explored they began putting their experience to use. Unbeknownst to them Harry had chosen the location carefully, as there was a large area of safe woodland and forest nearby, and Hermione and her friends liked to walk through the bush, identifying many of the different plants and animal calls and generally enjoying the sights and smells of nature.

Physical training was something that had thrown Hermione completely as it was something she was certainly not good at. However, because they were such a close group of students through encouragement and help from some of the more athletic boys and girls she had been able to slowly take it on board and after some exhausting lessons started to enjoy pushing herself to her limits just as much as she did academically.

As she sat in a large room many of the students dubbed the 'lounge' due to the presence of large sofas and pillows, one of the new professors, Professor Lupin, came in.

The new professor had truly earned the students' respect as had several of the other teachers, Sarge included. He taught them about the wizard perspective on magic, and many even stayed behind in the afternoon lessons to talk with him further about the subject. They had him many times over the week, as they were such a small group, and he comprehensively taught them the subjects he himself was taught at Hogwarts, bar Potions, where a separate professor was consulted, as with History of Magic.

Remus himself was glad to say he took the job, as he had never taught a finer bunch of pupils. He thought it would be stressful to have the same group of people, or to teach such a wide range of subjects, but they took on everything so quickly it was a joy every time.

"Hello Professor," Hermione greeted, as did all the other students in the lounge. "I've been reading about the Theory behind becoming Animagus, when can we start?"

"Hello Hermione, I'm afraid not for a few years until you've become quite familiar with Transfiguration. However, the Headmaster wishes to see you."

As Hermione climbed the stairs she vaguely wondered what this was about – the Headmaster rarely called private meetings, instead cultivating a family environment by including everyone in everything. All the students, and teachers were very close, for example it was common knowledge that Professor Lupin was a werewolf.

She had never actually been to the Headmaster's office, so when she did she was surprised to find it sparsely furnished, and a young boy there about her age.

"Er…excuse me," she said, and was astonished to see startling green eyes turn around to look at her. "The Headmaster wanted to see me?"

In a surprisingly eloquent voice, he answered. "The Headmaster will be back in a minute. You are Hermione Granger, I presume?"

"Yes…that's right."

He smiled, shaking her hand. "Good evening, my name's Harry. Are you enjoying your time at the Royal Academy?"

"Very much so!" she enthused. "To think, a whole secret society with their own laws and ethics…"

"Rather amazing isn't it? Especially with such bigotry and corruption," Harry said with a sigh, shaking his head. "I'm even more amazed that the system has lasted this long. However, as you know an inefficient system will not stand forever. Sooner or later, most likely sooner, it will change, and for better or for worse? It is up to us to make the laws." He gave her a smile as he began walking out. "It's been a pleasure to meet you Hermione; I hope you do great things."

"Thank you," Hermione replied as the mysterious boy exited.

As if on cue, the Headmaster made an appearance half a minute later. "Good evening Miss Granger, I apologise for my belated appearance. I see you've met young Mr. Potter, have you?"

Hermione could only gape in shock. "T-That was Harry P-Potter?"

"Indeed, quite an extraordinary boy if I do say so myself," the Headmaster mused, stroking his beard. "That is not the reason I called however. Every once in a while I will call a student up to my office to make sure the Royal Academy is up to appropriate standards. So tell me Miss Granger, what do you think of our humble school?"  
"It's amazing Headmaster! I absolutely love it here! Everything about this place is extraordinary; I'm close with all the students here, we all get on so well…"

The Headmaster listened patiently as Hermione talked and talked, outlining all the best points of the school. After several minutes, he raised a hand. "I'm glad that you are enjoying the school. You see, from here on it will get much harder. You are all prodigiously talented, and the Royal Academy wants you to get the very best out of your talent instead of squandering it in useless pursuits. You and your fellow students will be pushed like you have never been pushed before, but I assure you that the rewards will be worth it. We want you not only to gain a magical education but a well-rounded one, but the focus is not only on individual pursuits but the pursuit of many. When you leave here, the students here will be as brothers and sisters." He paused. "On a completely different note, have any of you discovered the secrets of the Royal Academy?"

"….Secrets, Headmaster?"

"Yes, indeed. For you see, the creator of the Royal Academy wants you to engage all your senses and what you have learnt, and what better to do this than a little bit of a mystery? What is the point of learning a skill if you cannot use it outside the classroom?" The Headmaster gestured around him. "The Royal Academy is full of many secrets, secrets simply waiting to be discovered. If you discover these mysteries, and find them…the rewards my dear, will be very, very much worth it."

As Hermione returned to her classmates to fill them in on what the Headmaster had told her, she resolved to find all these mysteries and solve them.


	4. Chapter 4

Dressed in a heavy robe that obscured his appearance, Harry stepped through the front doors of Gringotts, walking up to the nearest teller. "I'm here to have a meeting with Director Ragnok," he curtly told them.

The teller didn't even bother looking up as he counted through a stack of gold. "Director Ragnok is extremely busy. Meetings are scheduled three months in advance, and can only be done by individuals possessing high level vaults…"

The sound of metal scraping metal brought him out of his speech as the goblin looked up to see the blade of a sword. His eyes widened as he took in the extraordinary craftsmanship, which to the well-trained eye could easily tell it was beyond the skill of even goblin craftsmanship.

"I'm sure you can bump me in about now," Harry told him curtly.

"R-Right this way…"

As the goblin led him through to the upper levels of the bank, Harry mentally ran over his plan in his head again. It was vital for him to obtain early support from the goblins, however their distrust of humans and wizards ran deep, and in the early stages of his rule the goblins had nearly rebelled again. The only thing they respected was a good deal, however Harry could give them much more than a good deal.

"Director Ragnok," the young goblin squeaked as he burst into his office. "Someone is here to see you!"

The Director was a massive goblin, bigger than the rest, and the teller cowered under his hard, wicked gaze, before resting on the figure behind him. Harry revealed his sword once more, and surprise registered in him, as he attempted to regain his composure. "Please," he spluttered, "have a seat."

Harry threw off his cloak, having decided to go without disguise, dressed immaculately in a tailored suit before taking the proffered seat.

The two sat there for a minute as the teller left, regarding each other, Ragnok with caution, Harry with neutral coolness. Finally the former Emperor spoke. "You won't see a sword like this, not even for another three thousand years if wizard society continues as it does. Even by then, the closest your goblins will get will be cheap knockoffs that look nothing like my own. And no, I am not going to provide you the means to forge a weapon like this. The reason why I revealed it is because I know you goblins respect fine craftsmanship, and I have a deal to offer you."

Finally Ragnok spoke, his lips curled into a sneer. "There are many goblins in this bank. Why could we not just kill you and take it for ourselves?"

Harry's grip on the sword tightened, and the goblin was in for another shock as blue energy began pulsing off the blade in a light glow. "I assure you, that would be a very, very foolish thing to do. But trust me, what I can offer you will benefit your race a whole lot more in the long run than a sword which can never be reproduced."

"I'm listening."

"You already know who I am. You know that I have great prominence with wizards, and if we play our cards right that prominence will spread even more. Gold will flow into Gringotts like it never has before, and after that…equality. Goblins and wizards will be on an equal level."

Ragnok raised an eyebrow. "How do I know you'll hold to your end of the bargain, if what you say can even be done?"

"I'll start with a little opening offer, or taster, of what I am going to bring," he said with a small smile. "First off, the location of Atlantis."

Ragnok burst from his seat in anger. "Impossible! Atlantis has been lost for several thousand years!"

"I assure you I know of its location and have known so for some time," Harry answered levelly. "That should only add credence to what I am saying. You know as well as I do that the Atlanteans' knowledge of enchanting and crafting metals has all but vanished from the magical world, and that the goblins, advanced as they are, pale in comparison to them. Such knowledge would only strengthen the position of the goblin race. Why would I wish to add such power to the goblin name if I were planning to betray you?" Harry pulled a tattered papyrus from his suit, handing it over.

Ragnok pulled out a large magnifying glass as he unfurled it, studying it before realising that it was, indeed, genuine. Suddenly, he burst into a grin, showing massive, sharp rows of teeth. "Well Mr. Potter, you've caught my interest. What do you propose?"

"I would like to propose a joint venture between myself and the goblins, a business enterprise funded and regulated by your race and spearheaded by me, acting as its figurehead and CEO," he began. "An enterprise that not only encompasses the magical world but muggle also. Not only will you make a considerable sum of gold, far more, I assure you, than all your business stakes put together, but you will help me pave the circumstances for goblin equality. In return for this, I would like to be officially recognised as Goblin Friend by your race, be able to request aid from your considerable army as well as call in a few special favours. Also, I would like access to some of your fine metal smiths, not only for our business venture but for personal use also." He also added, "I understand what I'm asking is considerable, especially given the…strained relationship between humans and goblins. However rest assured that I do not break my word, as long as you do not go back on my deal first. I make it a habit not to make Unbreakable Vows as I consider my word sufficient, and let my yes be yes and no be no, so to speak. That having been said, due to the importance of this I am willing to make an exception if you so desire."

Ragnok thought for a moment, weight the options before him. Mr. Potter did not ask for anything excessive, they were well within reason, and the goblins had good dealings with his family beforehand. His confident conduct showed a maturity far beyond his years and the goblin had no doubt he was a prodigiously talented individual if he could barter so well. "You have a deal, Mr. Potter."

Harry smiled as they shook hands. "Excellent."

As the former Emperor made his way to leave, Ragnok added as an afterthought, "for the enterprise you are proposing... I am assuming standard contract fees?"

"...No. I believe as a sign of good faith instead of the regular ten percent, I'm willing to increase it to twenty." Harry inwardly smirked at the greedy glint in the goblin's eye. Although the goblins were an honourable nation with a strict code of conduct, Harry was well aware they could turn traitorous at an instant, especially in light of the amount of gold they were about to make. Because of that, he needed to ensure their loyalty, and if worse came to worse, he would make sure that they could never speak about what went on behind the scenes.

-HP-

_**2 years later**_

"Hermione! Come on, let's go down to the beach, it's a great day!"

"Just give me a minute!" Hermione said, scribbling furiously on a notepad.

"What is it you're doing anyway?" Hector asked with a frown as he walked into the Lounge, looking over her notepad. "Whoa..."

"It's those markings I told you about," the girl muttered.

"Come on, what are we doing?" Jake complained, hurrying back to them. "Oh no... Hector, didn't you tell her not to get obsessed over them?"

"I did," Hector answered, "remember what happened last time Hermione?"

"I do, and trust me, I've learnt my lesson," Hermione said. "But it's been in the back of my mind for a while, and after some time, I think I get it now." What had happened was that Hermione had spent much of her time with Hector and Jake, exploring the castle and virtually all the grounds. Hermione, ever observant, had noticed odd symbols over many of these areas, and in her obsession had forgone sleep to try and solve these baffling clues. Jake realised what happened, and told Hector, who talked her into calming down. "You know how last year we spent most of our free time finding all the secret passages? They had markings as well. They're the last pieces!"

"Pieces of what?"

"This." Hermione rose what she was working on, a highly complex inscription contained within a circle. "It's simple. All the markings are a part of the same inscription."

"What is that?" Jake frowned. "I see the rune for fire, but the rest..."

"It's a map, I think," Hector said, indicating one of the outlines. "See? That's the cliff face by the beach."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Jake burst towards the door. "Let's go!"

"Wait!" Hector snapped. "Let's go to the beach like we were planning to. Hermione, you looked incredibly stressed, whatever's waiting in there can continue waiting. Once we come back, we can get ready. I mean, who knows what's in there?"

Hermione was already half-way towards the door, eagerly anticipating what awaited them, but she sighed when she saw the determination in Hector's eyes. "...If you really insist."

"I do. It's been a long day, and the thing we need the least is for any of us to be falling asleep while exploring."

Several minutes later Hermione found herself sitting on the beach, watching several of the students splash around in the water. It was a beautiful afternoon, and as Hector said the day had been exhausting for all of them. Sarge had pushed them hard through their weapons routines, and they had spent quite a bit of time learning duelling from Professor Lupin, as well as being tested on chemistry and biology. It had been a flat out day, and the more Hermione relaxed the more she realised it was probably "overkill" to immediately jump into a situation that she knew very little about.

"Hermione!" Jake yelled, waving at her. "Come on in, the water's great!"

"No thanks, I'm fine here!" she shouted back. From the very moment she stepped foot in the Royal Academy she found herself making fast friends with all the students. It was fantastic that the roster was so small, everyone literally knew everyone. She was especially close however to Hector and Jake.

Hector's father was in the army for a few years before joining the police, and as such, he grew up doing everything from hunting to camping to playing sports. He had inherited his dad's cleverness and was calm under pressure, and dependable.

Jake however came from a family where his parents ran a business. They were wealthy, but busy, and left him to his own devices. Because of this, he made his own fun, and was undeniably brilliant, as well as hyperactive. He was energetic and constantly restless, and his mind was just as quick, but Hermione found that he got bored with things extremely quickly before needing to move onto something else.

They seemed unlikely best friends, but somehow it worked.

Hector and Jake shared a look as Hermione was stuck in her reverie, before running towards her. Breaking her out of her thoughts, she gave a shriek as they grabbed her, and collectively dunked her into the water.

"Gotcha!" Jake said with a laugh as they dove in with her.

Hermione broke the surface, trying her best to look angry without breaking into a fit of laughter before finally pulling her wand from its sheath on her thigh.

Jake's eyes widened in horror as he quickly leapt out of the water. "Oh, no…"

"Oh yes!" Hermione began sending stinging hex after stinging hex towards his rear as she chased him down the beach. "You're going to pay for that!"

"What about Hector?"

"It was your idea, I know it!"

"Oh come on Hermione!"

The students at the beach burst into laughter as they watched the pursuit, along with Hector as he walked back to the rocks.

Good times.

-HP-

Though Harry in his timeline had grown used to virtually all forms of transport, his child's body still was not used to the effects of long-haul travel even in a high-class business jet, and he was badly jetlagged as he rode in a limo through the city and into the desert.

Many of his business associates were squibs or wizards who had left magical society, making it easier to diversify and simultaneously run an enterprise in the muggle and wizard world. In just two years, Harry's corporation had skyrocketed to the very top of the industrial ladder, specialising in entertainment, electronics and even military research in the muggle world, while in the wizard world they dealt in potions supplies, home ware and top-of-the-line racing brooms.

A sign outside read TOP SECRET: TRESPASSERS WILL BE SHOT as the limo pulled into a large military test site. Several Humvees behind him carried the equipment he intended for the demonstration, and, disguised as a young entrepreneur, he raised no suspicions among the US generals as he shook each of their hands.

"Good morning, and thank you for coming," Harry began as his crew began setting up the equipment behind him. "Most of you know I am the CEO of Marauder Industries, and as requested by the Secretary of Defence I am here to make a presentation on several weapons we have in development and are nearly ready for shipment to the US Military." He turned and gestured to a man dressed in army fatigues. "Our man demonstrating these weapons today is an ex-SAS soldier, he has worked closely with our research development team in making the weapons not only effective, but portable and usable by a typical platoon of soldiers. As you know, I am a firm believer in the strength of the typical soldier, or 'grunt' if you like. Alexander the Great could not have conquered the whole Persian Empire without the help of trained, hardened troops and similarly it is the soldiers who should take due credit. We say jump, they ask how high – that's a lot of trust in our men, and no robot, or unmanned vehicle, the so-called 'soldiers of tomorrow' can ever replace a soldier's battle instinct."

An engineer now came up to him, giving him the thumbs up to indicate they were ready. Harry smiled as he continued. "That example of Alexander the Great's men is particularly relevant, as you all know what contributed to their success is that the men were armed with superior equipment. With superior equipment, even a lone soldier can take down a tank. They say the grunt is becoming obsolete. I say think again!"

The demonstration soldier raised a large, tube-like cannon, looking down the scope as one of the technicians operated a remote.

"This baby here is the Marauder H3 Concussive Missile Pod," Harry said with a grin. "When a rifle squad see something they know they can't handle, they either call in reinforcements or air support. Both can take time, time they might not have. This weapon here IS your reinforcements and air support, and it has a range much farther than that of conventional weaponry, meaning that you'll be safe and sound from enemy retaliation while this weapon blows them to oblivion. The patented ID system will prevent it from tampering and make it useless if it ever fell into enemy hands. For a demonstration, kindly arranged by General Harper, we have, out of conventional weapon range, a convoy."

The screens the technicians set up flickered to life, indicating a group of five tanks as well as dummies in jeeps.

"The Missile Pod has a fire-and-forget mechanism. Use the scope to acquire the target, wait for the beep, and..."

WHOOSH! A dark shape burst out of the barrel at high velocity, streaking into the air. It blinked red for a moment as it climbed altitude rapidly, skimming over the desert before breaking open and scattering into smaller pods, before finally colliding.

A fierce flash of light illuminated the horizon before a large cloud of thick black smoke rose, visible even from the vast distance.

The screens however told a different story. To the astonishment of the generals, all they showed were a fiery inferno, the tanks shattered, their armour burnt to a crisp. There was not one trace of the dummies, other than several black bits.

"If in the unlikely scenario that anyone survived, we found that the smoke is toxic and is extremely volatile. Whoever survives that inferno won't survive the fallout. The area will be a no-go zone for half an hour at least," Harry explained. "The missiles are small enough that four can be loaded into the weapon, with two high-explosive, which you just saw, and armour-piercing. The armour piercing is deadly for levelling buildings and bunkers as well as surface-to-air attacks – you can take down an armour-plated bomber with what it packs."

Harry waited until the applause had finished before turning back towards his limo. "Thank you for listening, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask our demonstration soldier..."

"Mr. Marauder...or should I call you by your real name?"

The former Emperor stopped. "Mr. Fox. I thought I saw you in the background. Let's talk in my limo."

After the door was safely closed, the vampire began to speak. "Marauder Industries. Interesting name."

Harry rolled his eyes – he was aware that Mr. Fox knew the history behind the choice of that name, as the vampire informant network was vast and extensive. There was virtually nothing that the vampires did not know, with of course a few exceptions. "We can dispense with the pleasantries, Mr. Fox."

"As you wish. Imagine my surprise when in less than a year a rival corporation's profile literally skyrocketed, a feat which even Fox International cannot boast of."

"Rest assured, Mr. Fox, Marauder Industries is perfectly legitimate. I keep wizard and muggle affairs strictly separate, and we have a branch specifically devoted to magic. Our success has come out of the normal channels – and not, as you imply, through magical subterfuge."

"Is that so? Then you won't mind telling me about your military research projects, and about that little device you demonstrated back there. It is, after all, an almost revolutionary weapon. A portable missile system that explodes with the equivalent of a bomber jet payload?"

"I wasn't aware that Fox International had a military branch. Neither do I like what you're insinuating. If the military were to break open one of these weapons, they would not find anything that pointed back to magic. True, they would find highly complex circuitry and mechanical engineering, but I assure you there is not an ounce of magic in them nor has magic been used in their construction."

Mr. Fox regarded Harry with cold, harsh eyes for a moment before responding, changing the subject completely. "We have detained Lord Voldemort, as you requested. He will not know of our influence, but he lays weak and powerless deep in Romania, without any human contact."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "You're lying." Through his sharp perception he could see the barest flicker of surprise in the vampire's eyes. Only after a century of almost constant dealing with vampires could he comprehend their subtle body language. To the common eye, they were as still and as poised as statues. Legilimency was useless against them – they had natural mind shields, and it was an art Harry had taken the time to hone after they nearly destroyed his network from the inside.

Playing games with vampires was always a dangerous thing. They could exploit even the slightest loophole in agreements. Voldemort knew of this and made sure their contract was airtight, and Harry intended for them to know they weren't dealing with a little boy here.

"That's a serious accusation," Mr. Fox narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, one I do not take lightly. Voldemort most likely has already escaped the country when he heard your race became involved. Though because he has nowhere else to go, he most likely has concealed himself further in Romania, going where even vampires fear to tread. You wish to conceal this fact and use it as leverage against me before allowing Voldemort to attack me, an inevitable occurrence, and in my surprise allow him to deal a killing strike."

"I'll not stay and listen to this any longer," Mr. Fox snarled, leaving the limo. "Just know this Mr. _Potter_: we are watching you."

"And know this Mr. Fox. If you ever act in any way against me, I will know, and the consequences will be dire. Unlike Voldemort who treats his allies and enemies with equal contempt, I reward my allies well for their loyalty. My enemies however... are punished severely." Harry sneered.

Mr. Fox's eyes, if possible, became icier as he turned and left.

-HP-

"I should have foreseen this," Harry snapped. "Getting drawn into playing games with the vampires…"

Remus pursed his lips thoughtfully. "It's not your fault Harry, vampires are tricky and unpredictable."

The former Emperor massaged his temples. "I know! In my future they acted as mercenaries and soldiers of fortune. I had hoped by establishing contact with them earlier a better relationship could be forged. It seems to have made it worse, but at the very least Voldemort has moved deeper into Romania. And not to mention we need to start our search for a new Headmaster." It was time for Harry's plans to move even further ahead, meaning personal management of the Royal Academy became nigh impossible save for a Time Turner. He had been spending less and less time at the Academy, and he needed someone capable in charge. "Never mind. How go the exercises I've taught you?"

At this Remus looked excited. "They've gone very well – I've managed to mentally converse with the inner wolf."

"That's good progress. I give it a week or two before you prepare to meld with it." Harry turned around, heading to the Headmaster's sleeping quarters. "I need some rest, it's been a long day. Good night, Remus."

Harry needed very little sleep, often working till late into the night, his powerful magic sustaining his body, but as a child with all his travelling he needed to get plenty of it. As he laid onto the bed, Harry put his sword, in the size of a dagger, underneath his pillow as he always did. Even in the future this had long been a habit since days spent out in the wilderness with all sorts of magical creatures, and the ever-present prospect of assassins.

With that, Harry closed his eyes and entered blissful slumber.

-HP-

After what seemed like a second, but in fact had been most likely several hours, Harry suddenly became alert, waking up, but kept his eyes closed as he fractionally tightened the grip on his weapon.

Someone was here.

He brought his magic to the surface, feeling it warm and sharpen his already acute senses – Harry regularly trained, re-schooling his muscles through a rigorous regime and long meditation. Whoever it was, they were deathly quiet, no footsteps, no breathing. Had his magic not warned him he would have suspected nothing.

Harry sensed them draw closer, inching near him. He could 'feel' the presence of a blade, and this person, rearing to draw blood…

In a blur of motion Harry drew his weapon, deflecting the blade and throwing them aside with a burst of magic. Leaping out of bed, his sword elongated to full size as he paralyzed them, resting his sword's tip on their neck. "So… vampire. Pull off your mask and show me who you are." He demanded.

To his slight surprise the person simply laughed, a musical, yet chilling sound, distinctly feminine as they removed their mask. "Daddy was right! You ARE powerful! I can't wait for when you turn seventeen…" Rachel purred, fluttering her eyes cattily.

"So, Fox sent you?" Harry growled. "I warned him…if it's war he wants…"

"Dead-wrong cutie. I'm acting all on my lonesome self!"

Harry frowned as his mind's gears began clicking. "You go to all the trouble to find me in a well-hidden location…" his eyes fell on the intricately carved blade. "That's no normal weapon either, that's a ritual knife. You want my blood, but you want it for a magical ritual."

"And smart as well! That's right, and you know how daddy hates vampire traditions…"

"Correction: he fears vampire tradition," Harry answered, lowering his weapon. "I have my own sources too. My blood is magically potent, and that's why you need it. You want to perform the Ritual of Resurrection."

Several minutes later found Harry, Rachel, Remus and Sirius sitting in the Headmaster's study as the former Emperor poured the vampire a glass of wine.

"Thank you," Rachel said as she sipped her drink.

"Wait a minute," Sirius frowned. "I thought vampires couldn't eat or drink food?"

"It's a common misconception," Harry answered. "Lesser vampires are only capable of drinking blood, but higher vampires like Rachel can consume certain things, such as what you see here, though they gain little nourishment by it. It also explains why Rachel didn't automatically attack Remus on sight for being a werewolf." He glanced up at Remus who was visibly relieved by this. "Now what I'm wondering is why you're here. I don't understand why you want my blood for the Ritual of Resurrection. It was my understanding that most of the ancient vampires have long since suffered final death."

Rachel smirked at this. "Yes, most of the second and third generation have."

At Sirius' and Remus' confusion, Harry hastily explained. "The older the vampire the more powerful they are. With every generation of vampire their power becomes slightly weaker, exception for higher vampires. The second and third generation vampires were once the most powerful in existence, worshipped by many ancient cults and civilisations as gods. So which vampire have you unearthed?"

"Recently a team of archaeologists were excavating some ruins in Italy," Rachel explained. "They accidently unearthed a crypt, one that they have dated to somewhere in the late Roman Empire."

"To the time of Merlin?" Remus gasped.

"Yes. We sent our own team to investigate, and the signs on the crypt are highly consistent and although baffling to the archaeologists they are clear to us…" Rachel's eyes burnt a malevolent red. "We believe we have discovered the crypt of the last sleeping ancient – our father: The first vampire himself, Dracula."


	5. Chapter 5

Though Hermione was eager to go the very afternoon she had finally solved the secret of Royal Academy, as was Jake, Hector was not so certain. After a long argument the group had decided to go in a week's time, to allow this hectic school period to "cool down" as it were, and prepare adequately for whatever was in store for them. Though all confident spell-casters they brushed up on their knowledge, and soon enough were ready. Exactly a week later, they set out.

"I don't see anything!" Jake commented as he put his hand up against the large cliff-face. "It's just a wall of rock."

"Exactly," Hector answered. "Hermione?"

The girl frowned, raising her notepad to compare the puzzle with the rock wall. "Hmm… wait. Cast the blue flame charm on it."

Jake did so, and to their astonishment the flame travelled up the wall, turning into a glowing blue frame of an elaborate door with several inscriptions and a rune above it. "Whoa – this is written in Latin… it's a riddle of some sort."

Hermione drew closer as she translated it aloud. "Beware traveller of what lies within, should you continue danger and reward awaits you. If you wish to enter, call forth Obadiah, and let the skies bow before you."

"Well that's odd." Jake commented. "What does it mean by 'call forth Obadiah'?"

"Obadiah the wizard I think it means," Hector replied. "But how can we 'call forth' him? Nobody ever got Necromancy to work properly."

Hermione's mind whirred into action as she raised her wand. "Wait…Obadiah…I get it! Obadiah was a genius spell-crafter who once said that his legacy would live on in his spells! To 'call forth' Obadiah is to use his spells, and Obadiah invented the precursor to the unlocking charm!" With that, a green light emitted from Hermione's wand as she cast the spell. It hit the wall as the frame turned green, before the lights vanished and the wall withdrew, revealing a tunnel that led deep into the rock.

Hector took a deep breath, stepping forward. "Wands up. Hermione you stay at the back and provide light, I'll lead and you cover me Jake."

The tunnel led deeper and deeper until they reached a large cavern, illuminated by pulsing blue and green crystals.

"Wow…" Hermione breathed as she touched one of them reverently. "I read about this. It's meant to amplify the inherent magic in the air."

"Look!" Jake pointed his wand towards the end of a cavern. "There's a chest down there."

The three walked through the cavern towards the chest, but Hector felt nervous. "It's too easy…" he muttered. "Guys, wait!"

WHAM! A boulder smashed the spot Jake was a moment ago – he managed to dodge it just in time. "It's a golem!" he shouted, raising his wand.

A stone golem, three times the size of them lumbered out. Chains were attached to its arms as it whirled them around – the three ducked down as it whooshed past their heads.

"RUN! Get back to the tunnel!" Hector shouted, and as they did so, sending spells zinging behind them, to their horror a luminescent glow blocked off the passage.

Jake slammed it in anger. "It's a magical screen. We're trapped."

Hector turned around to face the golem, which had by now caught up and was staring at them, waiting for the first move. "Then we have to stand our ground… Hermione, what weaknesses does it have?"

Hermione scrunched her eyes as she recalled the information. "We need to use strong curses. It's vulnerable to powerful ice and water spells, and fire, but only very hot ones."

"Spread out, make sure we have plenty of room to move. REDUCTO!" The three split up, hurling the strongest spells they could think of – the golem lumbered around in confusion as they began simultaneously tagging it with curses, managing to chip, crack and splinter pieces off its body.

"It's too slow!" Jake shouted as he evaded a chain. "We're going to get tired at this rate!"

Hermione's eyes widened, even as she fired off a particularly nasty coloured curse. "It's the crystals! They're powering it!"

"Me and Jake will hold it off, Hermione you destroy them!" Hector snapped as the two regrouped, and began focusing their spells on the joints of the golem. It stumbled back under the rain of fire, but continued forward. "And hurry, damn it!"

Hermione furiously racked her brain for an adequate spell – settling on the blasting hex, she provided to fire it off, destroying as many crystals as she could.

"It's not working!" Jake yelled. The two hastily broke off before moments later a chain smashed into the ground where they were. "There must be something else!"

Suddenly her mind paced back to the riddle. "...Let the skies bow before you...let the skies... Hector, Jake, GET DOWN!"

The two instinctively ducked – little did they know that cyclone Hermione was about to hit. Literally.

Raising her wand, Hermione began chanting, gathering power for what was possibly the most complex spell in her arsenal – unbeknownst to her, the remaining crystals in the cavern, of which there was a most considerable number, began glowing brighter. The golem turned to regard her, before lumbering forward, but Hermione was unfazed as she narrowed her eyes at it, finishing the incantation – a bright light burst forth from her wand before a literal gust of wind emitted from it, growing larger and larger, encompassing the golem. Lightning and thunder began to crackle as a storm grew, and the wind howled loudly as the golem struggled to get out, to no avail.

With a great burst of light, the storm hit maximum intensity as the golem was struck from all sides by the lightning and gusts of wind – it shattered on impact, and it crumbled into many pieces of rock.

Hermione lowered her wand, smiling in tired satisfaction. "Damn, that was hard..." with that she collapsed.

Hector and Jake burst up, running by her side. "She's alright, she's tired," Hector observed. "We need to get her to the Hospital Wing."

"Wait!" Jake ran up to the chest, and drew out three sparkling ruby vials. "Can't forget our prize."

Hector merely rolled his eyes. "Come on, help me with her."

-HP-

The Royal Academy nurse, Nurse Jennings was a nice young lady in her late twenties who had been passed over for a job at St. Mungo's despite her better training because she was a muggleborn. That was still a sour point for her – any mention of the magical world drew a scowl.

As it were, she was still brilliant and very efficient. "Hermione's going to be alright, she's just a little exhausted now," Nurse Jennings explained to the two relieved boys. "She's not injured, and it seems neither of you have anything more serious than a few scrapes. I've let her rest, she should be awake in a few minutes. Oh! Headmaster!" She turned around to her surprise to see the middle-aged wizard's kind face. "What brings you here?"

"Merely to see the students who braved the Royal Academy's secret and survived," the Headmaster answered, "and to congratulate them on a job well done."

"I'll leave you to it then."

As the nurse left, the Headmaster looked at the two of them with pride. "I heard that you passed the Royal Academy's test, the first of many I assure you."

"T-The first, sir?" Hector frowned.

"Rest assured that the tests you will have later in this establishment will be strictly supervised, and with the rest of your classmates, this test, was optional, and I must say the three of you passed with full colours. Be ready to accept plenty of congratulations from the others, as taking down a stone golem, using a combination of skill, intellect and logic, is an impressive feat."

"There is something I'd like to know, sir," Jake said. "That spell Hermione did was complex and draining, too draining for our age to use."

The Headmaster smiled. "Ah – that was a little bit of foresight by the Academy's creator. You see, the crystals you found in the cavern, amplified the magic in the air, however, the creator modified them to siphon some of the energy to the wand cores. Quite genius, really."

"So the crystals enhanced our spell power!" Hector noted.

"Indeed, though to compensate the golem was strengthened considerably, and made rather magic resistant."

Hector frowned. "Sir, how is it you know so much about the cavern and the golem?"

At this the Headmaster's eyes twinkled with a hidden knowledge. "Ah. That is the secret power of the Headmaster of Royal Academy. Suffice to say that though perilous, none of you were ever in any danger of losing your lives. A job well done though, and do pass my regards to Hermione when she wakes. Such quick deductions, even in the face of danger will make her a promising witch in later life."

"And the prize?" Jake asked.

"Those are yours to keep. Trust me on this, it is well worth it."

As the Headmaster exited, leaving more unsolved questions than answers, a minute later Harry Potter came along. "Hey guys, how are you?"

"Pretty good Harry, considering what we just faced," Hector answered honestly. Every once in a while the students would see Harry, a supposed friend of Professor Lupin's, wandering the grounds, exploring the Academy or reading in the library. The students all quickly got to know him, and found him a polite and intelligent young boy – he often claimed he would study at the Royal Academy if he had time, and several times helped the students with their spell work or essays. He knew all their names and was rather close with them, especially with some like Hermione.

Harry seated himself by Hermione's side. "I heard the full story. So you faced a golem huh?"

"Yep. Wouldn't have gotten out of there without Hermione."

"Of course not," Harry laughed, "nobody's smarter than Hermione." At this the boys laughed as well. Nobody in terms of knowledge, quick thinking or logic was better than her and everyone knew it.

"And don't you forget it," a tired voice said.

"Hey Hermione, it's Harry," the boy smiled down at her as Hector and Jake both jumped to her side. "Congrats for destroying a golem. Your first of many most likely."

"I hope not, that was exhausting..." Hermione yawned. "I'm in the Hospital Wing I take it?"

"Yes, and Hector and Jake, on your left, are fine as well. Clever spell work Hermione. I'm sure the three of you together will go far." Harry stood up. "Well as enjoying as it was to see you guys, I have to go. Be sure to give the new Headmaster a warm welcome."

"New…Headmaster?" Hector gaped in shock. It had certainly been a day for dropping bombshells.

-HP-

Harry returned to the Headmaster's office, which had been stripped down considerably now that he was leaving the role. Although enjoyable with his students Harry never much liked deceiving his in this case future allies, and what he intended to do next would consume all his time.

"That was a dangerous gamble with those children," a slick, cultured voice said from behind him.

There was no surprise; Harry knew he was there from the moment he appeared. Though he had restructured the Academy wards to block off vampire intrusions, he knew that the most powerful vampire in the world had no trouble exiting or entering the premise.

The shadows which a moment ago had obscured him now withdrew as if he had thrown off a cloak. He was powerfully built, yet tall and slender, dressed in a black suit. His high brow, aquiline nose and sharp yet in some places delicate features all suggested an exceptionally cultivated being, especially with his slicked back hair. He had been known by many names, the Egyptians even once worshipped him as Anubis, and though he had forgotten his original name many including his children called him Dracula. "The golem could have thrown off the restraints you placed on it, and you could have had three very dead students."

"Could," Harry replied. "I was well aware of the risks, and I knew that no matter what the children would handle it admirably. Regardless, it is your Academy now, I am sure you have much to teach them about magic."

Dracula chuckled at this. "Come now Ancient, you know as well as I do that vampire magic is incompatible with wizards."

"I wasn't referring to that. I was referring to your relationship with Merlin. You knew much of his secrets did you not?"

"Perhaps. If I am to loiter my time here in secret, I may as well put it to some use."

"You know as well as I do that were Fox ever to learn of your Resurrection he would bring down every resource, vampire and non-vampire upon your head, and consequently mine," Harry snapped. "You owed me a Blood Debt for the Ritual, since only my blood was strong enough to revive you, and I used it to make us allies, putting us at odds with him. Besides as I remember correctly it was YOUR suggestion."

Dracula raised a hand. "That I did Ancient. The Ritual utilised young Rachel's blood, and I need time to sift through all her memories. I have always enjoyed the company of students, especially bright young children, and in my day I taught many Greek wizards."

Harry sighed, gesturing to a large bookcase. "All of these texts contain what you need to re-familiarise yourself with magical and muggle society, which has changed considerably through your slumber. How will you get blood?"

"Your initial blood sacrifice is sufficient enough for a few days. After, that need not be your concern, I have my ways."

"Good. Listen dark father…"

"You need not call me that, you are not one of my children Ancient."

"Why do you keep calling me 'Ancient'?"

Dracula smiled mysteriously. "I see the age of your soul and not your container."  
Harry froze.

"Rest assured that your secret is locked up within the deepest recesses of my mind. I did not sense a soul as powerful as yours during my slumber, though here you are now… seemingly appearing in this body, out of thin air. Relax, Ancient, though I have my suspicions I have gratitude for my Resurrection so it is of no concern to me where you come from."

"Just call me Harry."

"Very well… Harry. I assume you have many plans to make?"

"Yes. Rachel has returned to Fox International. I don't like playing vampire games, but I need the support of your kind should I wish to rally the rest of the dark creatures."

"Don't worry." Dracula hissed. "They ignore their bloodline, but they will listen to their dark father… whether willingly or not."

-HP-

"I've been trying to get him out of the lab, sir, but it's impossible…"

"I'll handle him, where is he?" Harry asked, striding through the building at an exceptional pace for one so young.

"In the testing grounds, this time he isn't really bothering anyone, aside from taking the broom of course…"

Harry stopped. "Look Mr. Hardy, I SAID I'll handle him and I will. I don't pay you to take care of him, I pay you to make racing brooms, next time just leave him be okay?"

"B-But sir…"

"Don't worry. Get back to your station and finish the stabilisers, and for Merlin's sake don't antagonise him again!"

As Harry stepped through to the grounds, where a large indoor Quidditch pitch had been erected, he made sure close the door behind him. "Sirius! Get down from there now!"

"No way in hell Harry! WOOHOOOOO!" A blur shot overhead, turning at tight corners to do a fancy spin. "This is the best broom I've EVER ridden! It's like it's responding to my every thought! No way can those Nimbus pushovers beat you!"

Harry massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "This is the fourth time you've done this! Do I really have to permanently ban you from this place?"

"Ha! You'll have to try and catch me first!"

"There's a reason why that broom is a prototype Sirius! No! Don't try to do a barrel…"

Sirius gave a yell as suddenly his broom started to jerk wildly, throwing him in different directions. He held on tightly but in vain, as he flipped over he lost his grip and went plunging to the ground. "AHHHHH!"

Harry rolled his eyes at the comic display. Sirius plunged down 50 feet, but was suddenly stopped by an invisible cushion. He bounced off it several times before the charm deactivated, depositing him ungracefully onto the grass. The broom followed a little later, all their prototypes were charmed to return to the ground without any user. "You're really pushing those glamours you know."

"Hey! They're working aren't they? Nobody can recognise me."

"There's a reason I chose those workers, they're some of the brightest minds in the industry, though they still can't get the stabilisation issue fixed." Harry grabbed the broom, examining it. "Humph. I thought I told them to use the composite wood I made. Bloody traditionalists. I'll pay them overtime to get it ready by tomorrow."

"Eh…" Sirius scratched his head. "What's happening tomorrow?"

Harry smirked. "The fun part. While I work here though, I'm going to need you and Remus to help me."

"What ya need Harry?"

"Lucy and the Death Eaters have nearly finished serving their purpose, but I can't have it pinned on me. I need the Malfoys ruined and all the Death Eaters to go back to prison once they've come back, which they will in several months' time."

Sirius smirked. "Leave it to me. Dear Lucy won't know what hit 'em."

-HP-

_**One month later**_

All through England, the headlines were screaming the same thing. There hadn't been enough copies of the Daily Prophet as in a massive picture on the front cover was Harry, streaking through the skies on his broom and catching the snitch:

_BOY-WHO-LIVED RETURNS AS YOUNG QUIDDITCH PRODIGY!_

_It may come to the shock of many of our readers that Harry Potter, renowned for his defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, has officially come back under spotlight as the new Seeker of the Tutshill Tornadoes. "He's like a genius on the broomstick," former Tornadoes Seeker Plumpton admits. "I've never seen anything like it. He's a magical prodigy." _

_Many observers also witnessed Potter controlling his accidental magic, further reinforcing Plumpton's statement that he was a magical prodigy. Such fine control at such a young age surely indicates what a talented wizard he will grow up to be. There are also unconfirmed rumours that he is the intrepid entrepreneur in charge of Aegis Technology._

_The team is preparing for a nation-wide Quidditch tour, though many audiences have already had the pleasure of seeing the young Seeker in action, noting his phenomenal control and speed, catching the Snitch in record time._

_Mr. Potter is set to make a press statement later this week._

-HP-

"Mr. Potter! Can you tell us where you've been this whole time?"

"...What do you think of critics labelling this as a publicity stunt?"

"Don't you think you're a little too young to be playing such a rough game?"

"Our readers want to know..."

Harry plastered on a perfect, amiable face as he made his way up to the podium, dressed in immaculate silk robes. As he began to speak many witches, both his age and older began screaming. "Thank you everyone for coming," he began as the press quietened. "There are many rumours surrounding me and I wish to put many of them to rest. Firstly, this is NOT a publicity stunt by the Tutshill Tornadoes. I am indeed its new Seeker and will be for the rest of their season. I have been raised by Mr. Marauder, chairman of Marauder Industries, and I do own Aegis Technology. We produce top-of-the-line racing brooms and wizard home ware, and in fact Aegis Technology is the one sponsoring the tour. I understand there has been criticism regarding my age, but rest assured, I wouldn't have been picked if I was not suitable to the task. Are there any questions?"

A reporter beat the rest to the punch and raised his hand. "Mr. Potter, how is it you are so talented at magic? Have you had any training?"

Harry chuckled and the rest of the room politely laughed. "My father is a very busy man and more of a businessman and inventor than a wizard. He is a good father, but no, I had no instruction. I taught myself."

There were many murmurs at that. Self-teaching magic was a sign of great magical power, and in fact Merlin had taught himself and then eventually gone to make the first laws of magic.

Another report raised their hand. "Mr. Potter, is it true that Aegis Technology is about to takeover Zonko's?"

He shook his head. "No, though we have decided to expand into pranking and children's products, we are NOT going to take over Zonko's. I would like to clarify that. We are however in talks of a joint venture, that is, a new line of joke products collaborated by both of us."

"Mr. Potter, will you go to Hogwarts when you turn eleven?"

Harry smiled. "My father told me it was my parents' wish that I go, why should I deny them that?" He was interrupted by several ecstatic screams of joy from many young witches. "Thank you for listening, have a good day." He waved to the crowd and the reporters still harassing him with questions. As he got into a car waiting for him, the mob of what were predominantly women began chasing after it, all the while screaming his name.

Unbeknownst to him, obscured by the crowd even in his shocking purple robes was none other than Albus Dumbledore, who frowned deeply at the spectacle as it left.

_Young Harry... it seems we have much to discuss. _It had been a while since the alarms in his office alerted him – leaving immediately for Privet Drive, he found not only that Harry had escaped but had performed powerful magic, especially for a child, to do so. And now this?

It seemed that he had underestimated Harry's power, though Albus could not try and return him to Privet Drive. If Harry continued as he was his fame and iconic status would make it nigh impossible to, especially if the abuse he had suffered there was as bad as he had thought. Though it was regrettable it had been necessary. It was very much clear Harry was a prodigy, mentally, physically and magically, and it was more important than ever that Albus got on his good side – the Dursleys clearly would not accomplish that. At the very least he was safe, any enemy would think twice before attacking such a public figure. He would wait till the boy attended Hogwarts. His destiny remained unchanged as did the prophecy, so he would continue with his plans regardless.

-HP-

Harry closed the box, satisfied with the ingredients the Death Eaters had brought back. He looked to the anxious-faced Lucius with a pleased gaze. "My Death Eaters have done well, as have you, Lucius. None of these ingredients were easy to obtain, yet you did so swiftly."

Lucius bowed. "Thank you, my lord."

"See to it that my followers are tended to. It is a shame for the two we lost; however these ingredients are paramount to my plans." Harry smirked. "There is a matter of a reward now."

Lucius' face briefly flashed with greed before he concealed it. "My lord, that is not necessary. I am proud to serve."

Harry flicked his wand, letting a mahogany box float towards him. "Tomorrow, late at night, open this box with the rest of the Death Eaters. Do not worry; there is plenty of it for all of you."

Lucius gently grasped it, examining it. "What is it, my lord?"

"A sufficient reward for my followers' services," Harry smirked, red eyes glowing malevolently. "Now, leave my presence, I have plans to make."

As Lucius disappeared, Sirius came out from his Disillusionment charm. "You are a real tricky little bugger you know. If I didn't know better I'd have really thought you were possessed by Voldemort."

Harry laughed. "Sociopathic megalomaniacs aren't exactly complex, you know. Anyway, you did it?"

Sirius smirked. "Oh yeah. They should be coming sometime around midnight tomorrow."  
"Good timing," Harry noted. "By that time we'll be long gone. The Malfoys are about to go to a ball in a few minutes and the Death Eaters are resting or being tended to by house elves – come on, do you want to loot Malfoy Manor for anything good?"

Sirius rubbed his hands. "Oh yeah, I'm sure there are a few goodies we can snake." He laughed at his own joke. "Ha, get it? Snake?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Your puns are remarkable," he remarked dryly. "Come on, let's go to the library first and then see if there are any precious Malfoy family artefacts we can swipe."

-HP-

Tomorrow late at night, as Sirius predicted, Aurors stormed Malfoy Manor, followed closely by Madame Bones. They found Lucius Malfoy and his family in a room full of all their wanted Death Eaters, with an empty mahogany box. When they questioned them, they found even under Veritaserum none of them knew exactly what was going on, with many blank spots in their memory. Malfoy was assumed to be their ringleader. The Death Eaters were thrown back to Azkaban as was Lucius; however in a month's time Fudge had him cleared and released.


End file.
